Thomazeau
"Nou pa janm konnen valè de dlo a jouk byen se sèk." We never know the worth of water till the well is dry. -Thomas Fuller, Historian Thomazeau (Kreyol: Tomazo) is a commune in the Western Department of Haiti. It is part of the the Croix-des-Bouquets Arrondissement, , Haiti]] |420px]] Overview The town of Thomazeau was founded on September 10, 1826 and was granted municipal status in August 1889. According to some, the population of this small village, numbering 52,017, experiences grinding poverty. Many of the homesteads house up to 13 occupants, living in cramped spaces, some with no utilities. Geography Thomazeau is located at 8.6522° N, 72.0927° W. According to the IHSI, this commune has a total land area of 300.39 square kilometers (115.98 square kilometers), of which 159.28 km² (53%) is rural, 141.11 km² (47%) is suburban, and 1.30 km² (>1%) is urban. The town of Thomazeau has four communal sections. It is bordered by the Central Department communes of Saut-d'Eau and Mirebalais to the north, the town of Cornillon to the east, the Dominican Republic town of Jimaní to the southeast, the town of Ganthier to the south, and the city of Croix-des-Bouquets to the west. The town's geographical features include two bodies of water; Trou-Caïman and the much larger Lake Azuei. Thomazeau is an interior town consisting primarily of plains and a hot climate. Its inhabitants bear the name of Thomazelais. Demography , Haiti]] For an area of 1.3 km2, its urban section has a density of 13,000 inhabitants / km2. Neighborhoods Economy Agriculture and commerce are the main economic activities of the municipality. Two private morgues, a pharmacy, photocopier, hairdressing salon, three food supply centers, and three depots (soft drinks and oil ) constitute the economic and commercial establishments of the commune of Thomazeau. Infrastructure Road infrastructure is abysmal in Thomazeau. Like other small villages in Haiti, the roads remain unpaved and dangerous, owing to enormous potholes. When heavy downpours happen during the rainy season, the roads cannot be navigated at all. The plight of small villages in Haiti is recounted with an unvarying theme, primarily the terrible road conditions that beset communities. If roads are impossible to travel on, that discourages more NGOs to come to areas that are in dire need of help. Education The Ministry of the National Education for Youth and Sports is not represented in the commune of Thomazeau. Three kindergarten (2 private, 1 congregational), primary schools including two public, several private and one Congregational were inventoried in the municipality. Three secondary schools, including one public and two private, and three vocational schools were also listed. Health The Ministry of Public Health and Population is not represented in the commune of Thomazeau. A health center with a bed, and a popular clinic were counted in the commune. Two Doctors, and a dentist, nurse, auxiliary, laboratory technician, Health officer, Sanitary Inspector and a Medical Officer are the health personnel of the municipality of Thomazeau. Utilities For water availability, the town has 18 springs and two ponds. In addition, there are over 100 single bore wells and public fountains with valves. The town of Thomazeau, a good part of the first plain and part of the communal section of de Crochus are electrified. Security At the level of the administrative and judicial infrastructures, the commune has a police station, a court of peace and a registry office. Culture Religion Nearly 53 temples were counted in the commune. The churches of God turn out to be the most numerous, 47%. Organizations The commune of Thomazeau does not have representation of political party, only seven popular organizations and four peasant groups were enumerated in the commune. However, one non-government organization (NGO), The New Life Community Project of Thomazeau (NLCPT), has been operating several programs to give the residents fresh hope. NLCPT is helping the villagers de-contaminate their drinking water, get healthcare services, and attend school. NLCPT has also opened an orphanage for abandoned children, attended to the community's spiritual needs, and offered funding for other programs. Communication The town has a telephone office; however, there is no radio station, newspaper / magazine or television station. Leisure As for Leisure, the town did not have a library at the time of the inventory, it has no museum, no theater and cinema. The practiced sport is football (soccer). There is also a public square. As far as cultural heritage is concerned, the commune has a grotto and a lake (L'Étang Saumatre). The lake is the only accessible site. The fauna and flora are very developed. It is considered elsewhere as a place of relaxation for the inhabitants of the municipality. tmz11.jpg|In Thomazeau Tz2.jpg Tz3.jpg Tz4.jpg tmz103.jpg|Ecole Baptiste Cora Van Wingerden de Thomazeau tmz108.jpg|Lake Azuei tmz109.jpg|Thomazeau tmz111.jpg|Construction workers in Thomazeau tmz112.jpg|Episcopal School, Thomazeau tmz113.jpg|Country road in Thomazeau commune tmz114.jpg|Thomazeau, Haiti Michael Vedrine Category:Croix-des-Bouquets Arrondissement Category:Ouest, Haiti Category:Lake Azuei Category:Communes with 5 neighbors Category:Route Nationale 3 Category:Route Nationale 8 Category:Agriculture production Category:Commerce